Endorsing the Unethical

Published: November 2, 1996

To the Editor:

I should not be surprised that you endorsed Robert G. Torricelli for the New Jersey Senate seat being vacated by Bill Bradley (editorial, Oct. 28). After all, on the previous day you endorsed Bill Clinton for President despite the ethical lapses you so honestly pointed out in your endorsement.

Your support for Mr. Torricelli raises serious questions about his ethics and conduct during his service in the House. To offer your support ''with the hope that in the Senate he will be more careful'' seems to suggest that we ought to take those office seekers with the lowest level of ethics and elevate them to the highest offices in the land in the hope that such elevation would make the individual ethical.

I suspect that you overlooked Mr. Torricelli's deficiencies because your newspaper is determined to have a Congress controlled by the Democratic Party.